DogBasics Intermediate class in group stay

DogBasics Fun Day 2013 - playing the Sharks game

Galu Border Collie on Cart Gap beach

a tired Barney Labrador X...

DogBasics Fun Day 2012 - 'egg' n spoon race

Galu Border Collie and Woody Lab playing

About

DogBasics
is a dog training school in Ovington, Thetford, Norfolk, UK.

The business is mainly run by Caroline Kjall Jackson, who has been a professional dog trainer for over 20 years. Helping out with driving services,
maintenance, advice and coping with a house full of dogs is
husband Paul Jackson.

We also offer dog day care and dog boarding in a home environment.

Location

We are located in Ovington, Norfolk, IP25 6RZ. DogBasics has also been located in Thetford, Norfolk during summer 2015, in Ingham, Norfolk for 1 year, Hertfordshire for 12 years, London for 5 years and initially 3 years in Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden.

Ideology

The aim is for both dog and owner to have a positive experience at DogBasics.

There is no need for violence or cruelty in dog training, so only positive reinforcement will be used in the training and we will always work with the breed and individual in mind. All dog breeds have specific behaviors that needs to be taken into consideration when training.

I aim to help you build a respectful and loving relationship with your dog. The aim is co-operation between dog and human, not blind obedience.

I will train you to train your dog using your voice, body language, touch, treats and toys.

During the classes or private lessons, you will learn about the psychology of dogs, their background (ethology) and how their breed/breeds affect their behaviour - these are the basic corner stones in the courses. With these basics, you will be able to develop a closer and more understanding relationship with your dog.

About Caroline Kjall Jackson

I'm Swedish, but I have lived in the UK since winter 1997.
I took my first dog instructor diploma at an Anders Hallgren school in Sweden, in 1994.Click
here to see my Swedish Dog Instructor Certificate, translated
into English. I quickly followed that with an instructor diploma
in Agility and one in Competitive Obedience, for Kent Svartberg. I've taken a clicker course run by Cilla Danielsson at Hundens Hus. I've also been training privately for Eva Bodfält.

I keep myself updated on
the latest training techniques and behaviour knowledge by reading
books and going to seminars. You can read reviews of my favourite
books on the book page.

My favourite book to date is Follow Me - A deal with your dog (Kontaktkontraktet) by Eva Bodfält. You can buy it via Amazon.

My two favourite
seminars to date (since I moved to the UK) was a talk by Jean Donaldsons and the 1st European Dog
Training Conference arranged by friendlywithdogs.com.
At the conference I saw Suzanne
Clothier speak for the first time and was very impressed.
I would recommend anyone to read her book - Bones
would rain from the sky.

Rescue and Rehoming

I have worked with rescue
dogs and dogs with behaviour problems in Sweden as well as in
Britain. In Sweden I worked in two rescue organisations - HOPP (shut down in 2006) and Hundframjandet.
In the UK I've worked at Battersea
Dogs Home, in their rehabilitation unit. Working in rescue
centres has taught me so much about dogs. Not only do you get
to see a multitude of breeds, you see so many 'problem' behaviours
every day and can see which training techniques work and which
ones don't, in a very short space of time.

Dog Day Care and Dog Boarding at home

What has taught me more than anything is my dog day care and dog boarding. The dogs live with us in our house, as part of our family. Living with a changing pack of dogs, watching the interactions between dogs of different breeds, sex and ages, has taught me more than years of reading about dog behaviour.

I don't believe in the dominance theory

The dogs at our house sleep on a selection of sofas and dog beds. They often curl up next to each other in a small bed or sofa, even though there is plenty of space for them elsewhere. As true pack animals, they like to be together!

I often sit on the floor and cuddle with one or more dogs, with another dog lying on the sofa above me. I don't believe in the dominance theories, where dogs are not allowed to be 'taller' than you and not allowed to lean against you.

Most dogs love close body contact, not to dominate you, but because it makes them feel better, being close. Just like most of us do...

I respect dogs and they respect me. I've earned their trust by being kind and loving to them, building up their confidence in me, not by treating them as a lesser being.

I wouldn't dream of alpha rolling a dog!

I feed them before I eat and I let them out through the door before me, because that gives me more space to get my gear ready for the walk.

I don't like dogs jumping up at me, so I simply reward them for keeping their paws on the floor and ignore them when they jump up. It works a treat!

Published material ABOUT DogBasics

DogBasics featured in
an article about dog day care by Jackie Cosh in the October 2003
issue of Dogs Monthly (vol. 21, no 10).

A local magazine called 'Village Affairs' wrote
an article about us in October 2004. You can read it by clicking
here.

We had a small feature in the July 2005 issue of B Magazine.

Published material
BY DogBasics

I have written a number of articles about dogs and dog training. You can find links to them all on the advice page.

My hobby outside the dog
world is mainly web design. I've designed and run a web site
called LocalPetPeople.com,
where you can find your local dog sitter or dog walker, pet service
or house sitter.

If you read no other dog book, at least read this one! Highly recommended by DogBasics